bridgman



March 19, 1929. H. BRIDGMAN METHOD OF MAKING BOXES Filed Dec. so, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet March 19, 1929. H. BRIDGMAN 1,705,743. I

METHOD OF MAKING BOXES Filegl Dec. 30, 1,926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Her/y Bridgman blanks, and then folding the blanks to box' formin a partlcular manner which has re.

pressing the corner formations to insure adhes on 0f the glued surfaces, and finally Patented Mar. 19, 1929 [TED STA TJES - 1,705,748 PATENT Price- HARRY BRIDGMAN, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD or MAKING Boxes.

Application filed December30, 1926. Serial No. 158,021.

The invention relates to methods 'of maklng boxes and especlally uncovered box parts suitable for use in that condition or for cov ering by subsequentstripping and topping operations. i An important object is to provide a method of making boxes which is capable. of being carried out by relatively simple and cheap machines which can easily be adjusted for the desired box dimensions either, for short or long runs. Although such a machine does not form a part of the 'presentinvention, one suitable mechanism for" the pur pose is illustrated in rudimentary or diagrammatic; form and hereafter described sufficiently to enable the method to be un derstood, as performed in connection withv such a machine orotherwise.

Another object is to provide, regardless of mechanism'or implements employed, a method of producing complete box parts from originally plain, rectangular blanks, by advancing the blanks practically. continuously or through acontinuous course of operations, and meantime producing upon them parallel fold formations in one direc-' tion of the blank and then other parallel fold formations atv right angles to the first ones,

cutting the blanks to provide for corner lap separation, gluing selected portionsof the gard to a preferred corner lap arrangement,

, disposing of the completed box parts, with- 'out interruption of the generally continuous course orv advance of the'blanks fromstart to" finish, and without requiring anyhand operations when, the process is .carried out I with an automatic machine, such as that here I shown and (lGSCllbQd.

The creasing operations involve advancing the blank 1n two different directions to pro-.

duce the twodifferently-directed pairs of parallel creases; the cutting operation in-.

clndes, preferably, excising narrow strips ofthe material to effect corner lap separa-- t-ionand provide sufficient clearance to facilitate folding the gluing operation includes deforming ordepressing selected portions of theblank to bring them in' contact with gluing elements while 3 application of glue to other blank surfaces is prevented or avoided; and the foldingand pressing operations include the bending of the corner laps, side wings and end wings in a particular manner or sequence and then applying heavy and properly equalized pressure to corner formations, and especially to glued blank areas near the corners, thispressure preferably being applied while the folded blanks are being moved toward a discharge point in the general course of movement of the blank from the beginning to the end of the folding and securing stages of the process.

The accompanying drawing shows the blank in its originaland successive stages .or conditions to explain the'performance of the process in one way, and also shows sufficient parts of a representative machine to enable the performance of the process by automatic machine operations to beunder stood. After considering these examples,

skilled persons will understand that varia-' tions maybe made within the scope of the invention, as sufiiciently indicated by the appended claims.

.lIn the drawings 1 isa plan view in diagrammatic form of one suitable automatic machine for carrying out the invention. process.

2 isa perspective view of a plain blank, that is, one of the rectangular box blanks in its original form.

Fig. 3 shows the blank after parallel fold formations or creases have beenproduced in one direction thereon, and also shows diagrammatically suitable creasing rolls.

.Fig. 4 shows the blank after the other pair of parallel creases have been produced therein.

Fig. 5 shows the blank in transverse section and in relation to slotting devices for effecting corner lap separation.

Fig. 6 shows one corner,enlarged, of the 1 blank after the slotting operation.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation,

. explanatory of. the gluing operation.

llU

pleted box has been delivered with drawing or ejecting devices, and while the form and other parts are returning toward the upper p blank the finger rises and swings horizonor blank receiving position.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a completed box part.

An important feature of the invention is its adaptation to the use of plain rectangular blanks, which may easily be arranged in stacks and fed singly therefrom without difiiculties ordinarily encountered in proper v ly stacking and feeding cornered or other specially formed blanks, in which the wing or'lap formations frequently interlock and interfere'with proper feeding. 7

Fig. 2 shows a suitable rectangular blank B, and Fig. 1 shows at the left, the top of vided. v I is oblong, andit 1s first advanced in one a stack S of such blanks, the stack holderbeing suificiently represented by the uprights l. Suitable individual blank feeding mechanism (not shown) is to be pro- The blank selected for illustration direction for the production of two parallel fold formations, and this direction of advance is conveniently that of the longer dimension of the blank, as indicated by the arrows 21] the top of Fig. 1. In subsequent description the statements in regard to blank dimensions or movements will relate to an oblong blank which is originally advanced lengthwise or in the direction of its greatest dimension and then is moved at a right angle thereto or sidewise; but evidently'these dimensional or directional terms are interchangeable since in some cases the blank may first be moved sidewise and then lengthwise, or if the blank is square, the only significant thing is movement of the blank first in one direction and then at a.

right angle thereto.

An oblong blank, as shown in Fig. 1, is

'therefore first advanced lengthwise, as indicated by arrows, between parallel edge guides 2, which may be readily adpisted for d fferent blank widths. Blank advance may be effected by rolls 3 on shafts 1 connected /by pulleys in the belt 5, or by a feed belt running on the pulleys During this movement the blank passes between pairs of creasing rolls, each pair includingan upper roll 6 having a peripheral groove 7,

and a lower roll 8 having a peripheral flange or bead 9 to cooperate with groove 7. r The upper rolls 6 are carried by a shaft 10, and the lower rolls 8 by ashaft 11,

I these shafts being driven. in any suitable way to produce the parallel longitudinal bead creases 01, Figs. 1 and 3. The forward end of the blank after leaving the creasers is brought against a positioning stop bar '12 laterally adjustable on rods 13 to initially position the blank for movement in a new direction, indicated by the arrow at 14, Fig. 1. The proper positioning of the blank is facilitated by an oscillating arm or finger 15 on" a shaft 16 provided with a suitable operating linkage 17. After passage of the teinblated, the blank width .now referrin to the blank axis parallel to the blank 'dimension indicated by the arrow 14. Just after theblank'is positioned in the manner described, one of the pusliers 21 engages its rear edge and the blank is advanced between the second set of creasing rolls, similar to those previously described, the upper rolls only being shown and being identified by the same numerals as in Fig. 3, and in the upper part of Fig. 1. The second set of creasers produce the second pair of bead creases 6, Figs. 1 and 1. The completely creased blank, as shown in Fig. 4, includes the main or body'portion c ,"side wingsv (Z, defined by creases a, endwings e, defined by creases I), and corners f, defined byend portions' of two of the crease formations. 'The blank is next advanced between pairs of slotting rolls, each pair including an upper roll 22, Fig. 5, and a lower roll 23. The upper rolls 22 are carried by a shaft 24, Figs. 1 and 5, and the lower rolls 23 are carried by a shaft 25. The upper rolls have oppositely located slottingsegnient-s or cut te'rs, 26 which co-operate intermittently with a channel 27 in the corresponding lower roll 23. The upper rolls are positioned and the cutters 26 thereon are dimensioned and arranged in accordance with blank dimensions so that as the blank is advanced between the rolls the cutters 26 co-operate with the chan- 3 nels 27 to produce the slots g, Figs. 1 and 6.1 The slots are produced by'excision of narrows strips h, Fig. 5, these consisting substantially of end portions of the crease forinations b extending from the creases etc the outeredges' of the blank and thus conve'rting the blank corners f into corner laps 7 extending from the end wings and separate froin the side wings. To insure removal of the slot strips in from the blank,

the blank a glue pot 10,Figs. 1 and 7, a dipper roll 41 therein, and a glue applying roll 42, which may be in contact with the dipper roll, or another or transfer roll 43 may be in stantially, say approximately 1/8 (more or less), above the upper faces of the glue rolls. In this way portions of the blank which project laterally beyond the feed belt and over the glue rolls areprevented from coming in contact with the glue rolls, except selected portions, which, in the present example, are the under faces of the corner laps f. To provide contact of these corner lap faces with the glue rolls, a cam roll 4:5is provided for each end portion of the blank. Each cam roll has cams or lobes 4:6 oppositely located, and the roll is of proper diameter and the lobes of proper arcuate length to agree with the blank and corner-lap dimensions. The cam rolls are carried by a shaft 47 which is driven at such a speed that, as the blank passes, the lobes 46 depress the corner laps and bring their under faces in contact with the glue rolls Thus, in Flg. 7,

which apply glue thereto. if the blank is moving to the left, the upper lobe 46 has already depressed and glued the left hand corner lap 7",and the lower lobe has come in contact with the right hand or rearward corner lap and has depressed the lap, which easily bends atits fold formation. The lobe continues to hold the lap in I depressed condition, in contact with the glue roll,until the lap is entirely glued, and then the lobe passes away from contact with the blank and the lap springs back entirely or approximately to normal position. Intermediate blank portions, that is, the end wings, are not depressed and do not come in contact with the glue rolls.

All of thecreasing and slotting devices may readily be adjusted for different blank dimensions andcrease or slot positions. Thus the creasing rolls 6 and 8 hav'e hubs provided with set screws, shown for the upper rolls 6, il1 Fig. 1, and in this .way the rolls may easily be moved lengthwise of their shafts and secured by setting up. the screws. Similar provision is made for the slotting rolls and the cam rolls.

The completed and glued blank is now advanced by the feed belt to its initial position in the folding mechanism, most parts of which are shown in plan at the lower end of Figs. 1, and 8 to 11 inclusive, inner box end'forms 50 mounted on ahorizontalbar 51 and secured in adjusted positions thereon by set screws 52. Each form has a bottom wall 53, an end wall. 54 and side walls 55 with lugs 56 projecting from upper portions thereof. The forms are supported and moved vertically by a plunger 57. connected to the center of bar 51. A fran'iework 58 has a central sleeve 59 through which form plunger 57 passes, and this sleeve is ver tically movable to position the framework, the end portions or arms of which supports bars 60, on which corner lap folding blades 61 are adjustably mounted by means of set screws 62 engaging the bars. To act as turning or folding members for the blank side wings, bars 63 are supported in the main frame of the folding mechanism, which includes uprights 64, Fig. 11, these bars being parallel to the side walls 55 of the forms and spaced somewhat outward therefrom, as best shown in Fig. 8. Adjustably mounted on these bars are corner lap turning or folding rolls 65. Below the bars 63, end wing turning or folding rolls 66am located parallel to the form end walls 54-, and spaced slightly therefrom, these rolls being supported by lugs or brackets 67. Pressing plates 68 are arranged for vertical movement parallel to the former side walls 55. These plates are guided by ways 71 on vertical frame members G4 and are yieldingly supported by sn'in s 70 )laced about olun ers 69 which 1 n l s a are guided by holes in a horizontal frame member 82. The ways 71 provide enough elearan-cefor slight lateral movement of the .sureto the box corner laps and the overlying side wings, as more fully explained below. The lower edges of the plates are. tapered, as at 68 to facilitate their entry between the rolls and the forms as the plates move down along with the form, and the rolls are so that when the plates come in contact with their inner faces and pass downward, heavy pressure is apphed by the rolls through the plates to the underlying box par supported bythe form side walls 55. The rolls are adjustable axially to suit different box dimen sions. At a certain point in the descent of the forms under the control of plunger 57 lugs 56 above identified, strike the upper facesof the pressure plates 68 and move the plates down along with the box and forms.

Below the level of the pressing plates any suitable box-engaging devices are provided to eject or stripthe completed box parts from the forms. I Such means is sufliciently represented by hooks 80 carriedby spring blades 81 secured to frame members, such as 82, Afterthe boxfolded and pressed, it is moved down between the hooks 80, the sup porting blades spring outward to permit box entry, and then the hooks spring back to engage the upper wall edges of the box and strip it from theform as plunger 57 rises. If the blades are arranged as shown, of sum the forms while the latter cient depth to contain more than one box, each successlve box will move the preceding one farther down, and finally the lowermost box will drop upona transversely running carryoii' belt 85, Fig. 11, this belt being supplunger 57 are in an upper position, somewhat higher tha that indicated in Fig. 8. The plunger and forms are then moved downward and simultaneously frame 58-, with its corner lap folders 61, is moved down ard so that the bottom form surfaces engage the central portion or body of the blank near its ends, and the lower ends of the folding blades engage the corner lap creases. The plunger 57 and frame 58 then descend without change of their relative positions, to the position of Fig. 8. Just before reaching this position the horizontally projecting corner laps encounter the upper faces of rolls G5 and the horizontally projecting side wings (Z encounter the turning bars 68. Then as the forms and folding blades'move to the position of Fig. 8, the corner laps are turned up vertically, being properly bent at the fold lines under the control of the folding blades, and are pressed against the vertical faces of the folding blades, while the side wings are turned up to an angular position, which may be nearly, but not quite, vertical. The angularity is sufficient to provide clearance for the entry I of, the corner laps between the side wings and the outer faces of the forms. The

forms are then moved farther downward wings and the side walls of the forms.

The final. positions of the end wings and corner laps are shown in Fig. 9. At this time the lower portions of the side wings have been brought somewhat within the upper inward faces of the pressing plates 68,

and in further downward movement toward,

the position of Fig. 10, the side wings are moved slightly farther inward to vertical position in contact with the glued faces of the corner laps. tinue to move downward in relation to the l pressing plates until the entire areas of the "box and plates are thus caused to move down and their The forms and blank con together with. heavy pressure provided by the pressing rolls 72 applied through the alates to the end portions of the side win s.

and the underlying corner laps. This pres sure causes the fibers of the respective box parts to be pressed tightly together, and the glue is forced into the fibers to provide very effective adhesive connection during] the downward movement of the forms and box,

and without any delay which would other wise be required to maintain thev forms in stationary position while pressure could be applied by such mechanism astoggles. In

some cases the roll faces may be applied di-' rectly to the box side. wings, but in other cases it is preferred, as shown, to apply the roll pressure indirectly through plates, such as 68. pressure upon the descending pressure is mantained over the areas substantially equalizedpressure on the respective box end structures, and the central port ons of the plates overlying the central port-ionsof the box'walls prevent any bulging of such walls which might otherwisebe greater pressure applied to.

produced by the the ends thereof.

The plunger 57flvith its forms, is then moved downward clear of the pressingplates, and the'box 1s e eQtedor removed by I the hooks 80, in the manner previously described. The plunger is then raised, return-I.

ing the forms to original position while the pressing plates are elevated by their springs 70. These operations are repeated automatically and indefinitely as the glued banks are supplied at the initial position inthe folding mechanism. i

The completed boxes or box shells are thus rapidly and automatically produced, ready for use, or for covering by stripping and topping or other operations, and. without the necessity for corner staying.

I claim: 1. A method of making setkup box shells from initially plain, rectangular uiicornered shell blanks, comprisingadvancing successive blanks in one direct on and during such the lines of certain of the fold formations to convert the corners into corner laps foldably connected to the end wings and sepa- 'ated from the side wings, moving the In this way, insteadof a mere line box walls, entire wall during passage between the rolls. Also, at the same time the plates provide blanks adjacent glue applieiis and deg n'essing ccrtainportions of t-he bl'anks-to cause application of glue thereto, the glued areas.

providing for. connection of the corner laps to faces of the side wings, the blanks being positions confronting inner faces of the side meantime controlled to avoid glue application to other blank areas, folding ,the'corner laps substantially at right angles to the end Wings and'central blank portion and folding the side wings and locating them innearl y vertical positions suitable for movement of the corner laps to positions confronting inner faces of the side wings, folding the end wings to vertical position and simultaneously moving the corner laps to positions confronting end portions eoflthe side Wings, and pressing end portions of the side wings in contact with the corner laps to secure the blank in box form by adhesion of the glued areas.

2. A method of making set-up box shells from initially plain, rectangular uncornered shell blanks, comprising advancing'successive blanks in one direction and during such advance producing parallel fold formations therein defining side wings, then moving, the blanks successively in another direction and during such movement producing other par allel fold formations defining end wings and corner portions, cutting the blanks along the lines of certain of the fold formations to convert the corners into corner laps foldably connected to the end wings and separated from the side wings, moving theblanks adjacent glue appliers and depressing certain portions of the advancing blanks to cause application of glue thereto, the glued areas providing for connection of the corner laps to faces of'the side wings, the blanks being meantime controlled to avoid glue application to other blank areas, folding the corner laps substantially at right angles to the end Wings and central blank portion and folding the side wings and locating them in nearly vertical positions suit-' able formovement of the corner laps to wings, folding the end wings to vertical position and simultaneously moving the corner laps to positions confronting end portions of vthe side wings, and applying pressure to entire end areas, of the side wings to secure the corner laps and superposed wing areas together. v

3. A method of making set-up box shells from initially plain, rectangular uncornered shell blanks, comprising advancing successive blanks in one direction and during such advance producing parallel fold formations therein defining side wings, then moving the blanks successively in another direction and'during such movement producing other parallel fold formations defining end wings and corner portions, slitting the blanks along the lines of; certain of the fold formations to convert the corners into corner laps foldably connected to the end wings and separated from the side wings, moving the blanks to cause application of glue to the ner laps substantially atright angles to the end wings and central blank portion and folding the slde wlngs and locating them in nearly vertical posit-ionssuitable for move ment of the corner laps'to positions confronting inner faces of the side wings, folding the end wings to vertical position and simultaneously moving thecorner laps to positions confronting end portions of the side wings, and applying equalized pressure over the entire areas of the side wings under-laid by the corner laps during movement of the blank to secure the corner laps and side wings together.

4. A method of making set-up box-trays from initially plain, rectangular uncornered blanks, comprising advancing successive blanks in one direction, and during such advance producing parallel fold formations therein defining side wings, then moving the blanks successively in another direction and during such movement producing other parallel fold formations defining end wings and corner portions, cutting the blanks along the lines of certain of the fold formations to convert the corners into corner laps foldably connected to the end wings and separated from the side wings, advancing the blanks to cause application of glue to the corner laps, the glued areas providing for appropriate connection of the corner laps to inner faces of the side wings, the advancing blanks being meantime controlled to avoid glue application to other blank areas, and then folding the thus formed blanks each into the form of set-up boxtrays.

5. A continuous method of making a setup box tray from a rectangular uncornered blank, which consists in advancing the blank and forming therein longitudinal and transverse fold formations and slit-ting certain of such formations to provide the blank with integral side and end wings, two of which "have a corner lap at each end, partially named wings and finally bodily moving the thus folded and supported'blank and imparting a squeezing pressure to the wings and the overlapping corner-laps during such movement to set the blank into the form of a box tray;

' 6. A continuous method of making a setup box'tray from a rectangular uncorn'ered blank, which consists in advancing the blank and forming therein longitudinal and transverse fold formations to provide the blank With integral side and end Wings two of which have acorner lap at each end,- partially bending tWo opposed Wings at an angle to the blank body then bending the corner-laps at right angles to their Wings,

moving the Wings With their corner-laps inturned corner-laps and their associated Wings between rigid supporting members and bodily moving the thus confined blank portions together with their supporting 7 members and imparting sustained lateral pressure thereto during such movement to" set the blank into the form of a box tray. Signed at New York city, inthe county of New York and State of New Yorkr'this 

